A Timeless Promise
by ody-chan
Summary: The Halidom of Ylisse is suffering from a great war with Plegia. The Exalt, now dead, passes the torch to his daughter, Emmeryn. Will the young girl prove her worthiness to the people, or plunge them further into despair?


There she sat in mournful silence, the weight of an entire nation now resting upon Lady Emmeryn's innocent young shoulders. The consequences of her father's death had not yet been realised, but as young as she was, she would be determined to cast aside her life for her countrymen.

The faint glimmer of the various aromatic candles cast a calming shine over the portrait of her father, which now stands above the shrine erected in his honour. In spite of his warmongering ways, Emmeryn's father was still a respected man, and many fell for his weasel-words claiming justice and peace as the result of the blood his command had wrought. Lady Emmeryn sighed melancholic and stood.

Lady Lissa's dainty footsteps echoed through the empty building, directed towards the new Exalt. "I thought I might find you here, Sis. This is the third night in a row... But it's okay, I can't sleep either." Emmeryn's soft gaze landed on her dejected sister as she spread her arms, to which Lissa calmly entered in a loving embrace. "Sis," Lissa said, muffled from her face buried in her sibling's dress, "I can't cry anymore, I try but nothing comes out. I think Father is trying to tell me to move on." Emmeryn smiled faintly and spoke softly "That's a grown up thing to say, Liss. As much as I want to cry too, we must be strong! I'm counting on you and Chrom to back me up, after all."

Lissa gently lifted herself from her sister's tender grasp and looked at her, eyes still somewhat reddened from her virtually endless sobbing. "Of course, Emm! Even though we're just kids, who's to say we can't be as strong as the grown-ups too? Besides, you're the best sis anyone could have, I'm sure everyone will think of you like Chrom and I do, right?" Emmeryn quietly pondered if such a thing would be true; she always imagined the Exalt had to be an adult, how will her subjects react to bowing to a child not even the age to wed?**  
**

The duo made their way back to their quarters to rest for the remainder of the night, tomorrow would be the day that Lady Emmeryn announces to the people of the Halidom of her ascension to the throne as Exalt. Her dreams were replete with terrifying depictions of failure and, to her bewilderment, dragons, though she attempted to shrug it off as mere worrying, it would prove most persistent. At the crack of dawn, there was a knock at the door as the Hierarch gently roused the dozing young lady. "Please Milady, there is much to prepare, it is time to rise," the fair elder spoke with a soft, somewhat grainy voice, "you have but once chance to make a good impression for your loyal subjects." Lady Emmeryn stirred with a yawn and stretched, mumbling "Can't they permit the Exalt a late morning?..."

"Good morning, Hierarch!" Chrom waved eagerly, still in his nightclothes, curious, the man turned to greet the early riser. "My, at least someone in the family has some energy! A pleasure to see you, Milord." Chrom nodded and stated proudly "If I am to be a man like my father, I cannot be moping about, I have to push forward, and sleeping in is no trait of a man who will protect the Exalt." The silver-haired man gave a hearty chuckle and patted the boy on his head, "Then it must be so, doubtless you have the spirit for it. Now, go get dressed, breakfast will be ready soon."

The morning meal was quiet; a lull of unspoken angst hung over the room. Emmeryn was focused on rehearsing her speech within the confines of her mind; Chrom was too busy enjoying the meal and Lissa calmly imagined how exactly she might grow to be useful to her sister. Only an hour remained until the Exalt was to address the people; Emmeryn prayed to the Divine Dragon for strength and to her father for guidance. "You know," Chrom interrupted, "Even if they hate you, I believe that will only mean earning their trust will be all the more sweet. What is a leader if you are handed everything? That's just no fun." Somehow, Emmeryn was comforted by her brother's humour, which also showed wisdom beyond his days. She knew that if she had absolutely nothing else in this world, she would always have her siblings at her side as they would have her.


End file.
